SOHR: Turkey Recruits 10,000 Syrian Mercenaries to Fight in Libya

Libyan National Army (LNA) is regularly downing drones in Tripoli and arresting foreign mercenary fighters, as recently confirmed by the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR).

 

Videos of foreign fighters arrested by LNA soldiers circulated on social media, showing the mercenaries’ confessing that they’ve arrived to the country through Mitiga and Misrata airports after receiving sums of money for joining the war.

 

The Syrian Observatory reported that Turkey has recruited nearly 10,000 militants to fight in Tripoli, noting that the number of recruits who arrived in Libya rose to nearly 7,400, including a group of non-Syrian mercenaries, while nearly 2,500 others arrived in Turkey to undergo training courses.

 

The Observatory noted that hundreds of fighters are getting prepared to be transported from Syria to Turkey, since LNA factions are continuing to list new names, by Turkish intelligence’s orders.

 

LNA spokesman Major General Ahmed al-Mismari said that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has transported nearly 7,500 mercenaries to the Libyan territory, adding that Syrian mercenary leaders receive millions of dollars in exchange.

 

SOHR indicated that commanders instructed their fighters not to talk about the monthly salaries and to say that they came for the sake of Libyan people and not for money.

 

The Observatory believes they aim to enhance the image of the Syrian factions in Libya, especially after many fighters expressed their regret for leaving for Libya.

 

Reliable SOHR sources said the participation of the mercenaries helped in tipping the scales of battles in western Libya in their favor.

 

SOHR activists confirmed that more Syrian mercenaries were killed in the ongoing military operations in Libya, bringing the total death toll of Turkish-backed Syrian proxies killed in Libya to 223.

 

Meanwhile, UN acting envoy Stephanie Williams stated that Libya is turning into an experimental field for all kinds of new weapons systems, with foreign supporters of its warring parties shipping in arms and fighters in violation of an embargo.

 

Speaking through during an online news conference. Williams said that the new wave of fighting has been fueled by arms imported from abroad.

Source: SOHR: Turkey Recruits 10,000 Syrian Mercenaries to Fight in Libya | Asharq AL-awsat